Jill Duggar’s Parents Wish Her Husband Derick Dillard a Happy Birthday Amid Rumors of a Rift Between the Two Families
Derick Dillard turned 31 on March 9. His wife, former Counting On star Jill Duggar, wished her husband a happy birthday in an Instagram story. And she wasn’t the only member of her large family recognizing the occasion. Her parents Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar also marked Derick’s birthday in an Instagram post. The birthday wishes for their son-in-law come as rumours of family feud grown and Derick gives hints that he might be planning to write a tell-all book about the Duggars.
Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar say they’re ‘thankful’ for Derick
On the Duggar family’s official Instagram account, Jim Bob and Michelle had positive words for their son-in-law.
“Happy birthday, Derick!.” they wrote. “We’re so thankful for you! You’re a loving husband to our sweet Jill, and a wonderful daddy to your boys. May God bless you in this new year!!”
The friendly message comes amid rumors among Counting On fans that Jill and her husband are on the outs with her parents. After the Dillard family left the TLC show, Derick has dropped a number of not-so-subtle hints that he has some problems with his in-laws.
The law student has told fans on social media that he is “working on” on a tell-all book. He’s also said that Jim Bob controls the money the family earns from the show and said that he and his wife aren’t welcome at her family’s home without her father’s approval.
Jill and Derick missed some big family events
Derick’s comments about the rift with Jim Bob and Michelle explained something that many Counting On had noticed. Jill, Derick, and their two sons appeared to be distancing themselves from her family.
Last year, the Dillards enjoyed a “Friendsgiving” rather than joining her parents and siblings for a big family meal. They also spent the Christmas holidays on their own. Jill’s parents and siblings rarely popped up in her Instagram feed, and she didn’t make many appearances on their social accounts. When Jim Bob, Michelle, and other Duggars traveled to California to visit Jinger Duggar, Jill stayed home.
The Dillards have also started to break with some Duggar family traditions. Since her marriage in 2014, Jill has started wearing pants, and in 2019, she finally cut her long locks. (Most Duggar women favor long hair, reportedly because that’s the preference of the founder of the ministry they follow.) And in February 2020, she shocked many of her followers when she announced she’d enrolled her oldest son in kindergarten. Jill was homeschooled, so choosing public school is a big shift for her.
Is Jill mending fences with her family?
In the eyes Duggar family watchers, there’s plenty of evidence that Jill and Derick don’t have the greatest relationship with her parents. But recently, it seems that the family has been trying to show that Jill has not been ostracized.
When her younger sister Jinger was in town visiting, Jill got together with her siblings, sisters-in-law, and mom. The ladies went out to eat and then headed to Target to do some shopping, and numerous members of the family shared photos of everyone spending time together. While Jim Bob and Derick weren’t seen, the female Duggars seemed to be making it clear that there was no bad blood between them.
